Paranormal Junk?
by Lilly Winters
Summary: Rejected and judged, Dib decides that maybe it is time to give up the Paranormal Investigations that have consumed his life. But someone may change his mind about it and about the one who comes to comfort him... Zim and Dib Friendship.


**A/N**

**Some people requested another Zadf (Zim and Dib Friendship) so here it is! It is NOT a Zadr! Also, I apologize if this is not as good as my other stories, but I had a whole lot of interruptions throughout the entire story. I hope it turned out okay and I hope you like it. Reviews greatly welcomed. **

He glanced at the room and saw the evidence of his life. Photos of aliens. Book on Bigfoot and ghosts. Rejected Swollen Eyeball fan mail. The computer full of Paranormal data. His eyes grew with the shock that shattered his world.

"This is all I've ever done, all I've ever known. Now it's being taken away?"

He was just informed that he was kicked out of the Swollen Eyeball Network permanently because 'everything he claimed was a lie, a sign of his insanity', according to them. Not to mention his dad's comments, sister's criticism, and classmate's judgment. He just wished it would all end.

He sat down at his desk and watched the screensaver flash various images: Ghosts, Loch ness, Bigfoot, Aliens, Aliens, aliens…

"Zim." He muttered under his breath. Everyone was saying his obsession over the odd green kid had pushed him over the edge, had finally driven him mad. But he knew the invader was more than he seemed. He may have fooled each and every other human he came in contact with, but Dib was much smarter than the average person. He could easily see through his crummy disguise.

"Because of him, everyone thinks I'm insane!" He hollered. But he knew it was not true. Long before the tiny Irken Invader had arrived, people would search for reasons to accuse Dib of insanity. Zim's arrival was simply additional mockery for them.

"Maybe it would be better if I stopped all of this paranormal junk. At least then they wouldn't have a reason to make fun of me." He moved the mouse over, causing the computer to jump to life and display articles and images; the cause of his mockery. "But without this, what will I do then? Will I even have a purpose anymore?"

Just then, his window flew open and a green blur swiftly hopped in, but missed the windowsill and landed face-first on the bed. Dib did not even have to look to know who it was.

"What do you want now, Zim?"

The young alien rose triumphantly, his wig hanging off slightly, and pointed at the miserable genius.

"I have come to kidnap your large head and perform extremely painful experiments on you!" He smiled wickedly. "Afraid, aren't you?"

"No, not really." He faced the computer screen once again and laid his head on his arms which rested, folded in defeat, on the desk.

"Ha! Foolish human! Begging for mercy shall not spare— wait. You are not afraid?"

He shook his head nonchalantly.

Zim raised an eyebrow in confusion. Why was he not fighting with him? Usually his presence alone was enough to set him off, but even with the threat, Dib did not make any attempts to capture him and strap him down to an autopsy table.

"Why do you refuse to fight me, Dib-beast?"

He spun the chair around so that they were facing each other. Though, Dib put it back to its original spot.

"What's the point?"

Zim removed his hand from the chair in a vain attempt to capture his attention.

"What's the point? Why do you speak this way?"

"Just leave me alone, Zim. Go fail at conquering the world again or whatever it is you're trying to do."

Zim grew angry at this.

"How dare you mock Zim!"

Dib hated when he referred to himself in third person, but ignored it and glared at him.

"What do you mean?"

"You know I can no longer do that."

Dib sat up, temporarily forgetting his self-pity, and eyed the Irken curiously.

"Why not?"

"The Tallest have informed me of the truth, remember?"

But Dib's blank expression told him he was completely unaware.

"You mean," Zim questioned sadly, "you did not know?"

He shook his head, clearly confused and eager to hear what the news was. He was a little disturbed to see the odd way he was acting. It took a lot to get Zim unhappy. Usually, he would regain his normal composure within seconds, but he could see there was still a bit of pain remaining in the Irken's eyes.

"I assumed you would know after that spy bug you planted in my base. Which I shall locate and destroy like I shall destroy you monstrous head!"

Dib waved the comment off in annoyance.

"I didn't really plant a spy device in your base, Zim. I made the whole thing up."

"Lies! You are just trying to catch me with my guard down, filthy human!"

He decided to give the matter up. Though the alien could be incredibly intelligent at times, (he shuttered at the memory of their water balloon fight.) he could be completely oblivious at other times. He had told Zim that he secretly planted a camera in his lab earlier in the week simply to make him paranoid. It would appear he had accomplished his goal a little too well.

"What truth are you talking about?"

His antenna twitched at the boy's persistent nature. _Perhaps there was no spy bug after all_, he thought to himself.

"If you must know, Dib, it was all a lie."

"What was?"

"My mission, everything. It was all a lie."

"W-what?" Even Dib had not expected to hear what came next.

Zim shrugged.

"The Tallest sent me here in hopes that I would die. They said I was a failure, merely a defect. They had been searching for a way to get rid of me and found it during the Great Assigning of Operation Impending Doom II. My entire planet is currently celebrating my banishment as we speak. I have failed."

Dib did not know how to react. Even if they were enemies since the day Zim arrived, he had to give the extraterrestrial credit on one thing: he had never given up. He was persistent every single time, even when survival was not guaranteed. Not to mention the amount of loyalty he held. Completely alone in a foreign world, the alien constantly strived to please his leaders no matter how afraid or unprepared he was. Yet they betrayed him. After living his entire life in servitude to the two, The Tallest ignored everything else and focused on his failures and pushed him out of their lives and out of existence.

In all out truth, Dib truly felt sorry for him. He felt a familiar pain in his heart as he thought of Zim's banishment. He had felt the same way before whenever he thought of his own life.

"Dib-human?"

Dib looked up at Zim, realizing he was lost in his thoughts.

"I …I didn't know."

Zim blinked.

"You are showing concern?"

He shrugged.

"No matter who you are, that just isn't right."

"What do you mean?"

"You have been completely loyal to them. Even if it meant the downfall of others, you were always trying to please them. Now they are taking that all away? I just don't understand…"

Zim stared in shock. Now it was his turn for confusion. Dib had never been concerned with what happened to him. Why now? Then he realized.

"The humans, they have treated you similarly?"

Dib faced the alien, unaware that he could be so observant of other's feelings.

"Well they never banished me but…"

"But they have judged you and taken it all away, just like me." He stated hopelessly. He walked across the room and stared out the window.

Dib shook his head, afraid to show his feelings. He stuttered and tripped over his words, but luckily Zim began talking again.

"Come here."

He looked up abruptly at him. Oddly, he felt fear at the thought of going near Zim. Ignoring their previous battles, he was unsure why the sudden fear had arisen, but it was certainly there. What was he afraid of? Rejection? Ridicule? But to his surprise, he stepped out of his chair and walked up to the window.

Zim pointed at the sky.

"Do you see that blue dot right there? The one just to the left of the moon?"

"Yeah, I think so."

He smiled weakly.

"That used to be my home."

Dib watched him with pity. He had been seriously damaged by the revealed truth. Who wouldn't be? The thought of learning that your entire planet hated you, wanted you to die was almost unbearable to Dib. He jumped back, his hearting pounding, as Zim placed a hand on his shoulder. Zim remained staring at the planet.

"My leaders have always taught Irkens that sadness is weakness, that you should not feel any other emotions but courage, determination, leadership and loyalty to the Irken Empire. But after my banishment, I realized that all of that was a lie. Why should I believe that whenever they had lied to me about my entire life?" He faced Dib, his eyes strong but soft at the same time. "It is okay to show your sorrow, Dib."

He blinked repetitively as the tears stung his eyes. But he lost control when he saw Zim give him one last reassuring smile. He wept uncontrollably as years of rejection and mockery spilled out. Zim froze as Dib sat on the ground and leaned his head against his chest. He awkwardly patted the boy's back, ignoring the growing embarrassment and fear of being seen this way. Never before had Zim comforted someone. This was completely new to him. Such an odd, foreign feeling it was. But then he realized something. Once he had figured out the truth of his mission, he did not have the privilege of comfort from anyone. He had to face it all alone.

He shook his head and quickly grasped Dib in a strong embrace. If he never got the luxury of comfort, he was going to make sure he gave Dib everything Zim never had. Even if it was merely his friendship.

**A/N**

**And there it is! Sorry if they were out of character at all. I know that last bit was probably pushing it because Zim is usually not one to comfort, but you always see stories where Zim finds support and friendship in Dib, so I decided to flip it around and have Dib find comfort in Zim. Hope you liked it!**


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